VZCZCXRO4734
PP RUEHFK RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHNH
DE RUEHKO #0939/01 0980424
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 070424Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3190
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUYNAAC/COMNAVFORJAPAN YOKOSUKA JA PRIORITY
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
RHHMHBA/COMPACFLT PEARL HARBOR HI//N541// PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/HQ PACAF HICKAM AFB HI//CC/PA// PRIORITY
RUHBANB/OKINAWA FLD OFC US FORCES JAPAN CP BUTLER JA PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/USFJ  PRIORITY
INFO RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 7104
RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA 9487
RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA 5550
RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 7700
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 0773
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 2659
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 2200
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 8686
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 9219
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 000939 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR I/RF, PA/PR/FPC/W, IIP/G/EA, EAP/PD, R/MR, 
EAP/J, EAP/P, PM; 
USTR FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE; 
TREASURY FOR OASIA/IMI; 
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA; 
CP BUTLER OKINAWA FOR AREA FIELD OFFICE; 
PACOM HONOLULU FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO JA
SUBJECT: TOKYO MEDIA REACTION - U.S.-RUSSIA SUMMIT, NATO SUMMIT, AND 
NORTH KOREA 
 
¶1. LEAD STORIES: Top stories on Monday morning included the 
disruption of the Olympic torch relay in London by a group of 
protestors opposing the Chinese crackdown in Tibet, as well as 
Sunday's summit in Sochi, Russia, between President Bush and Russian 
President Putin. They reportedly adopted a new 'strategic framework' 
for bilateral cooperation, but failed to hammer out an agreement on 
the U.S. plan to deploy MD platforms in Eastern Europe. 
 
¶2. "U.S., Russia Rely on 'Personal Bond'" The liberal Asahi wrote 
from Sochi (4/7): "President Bush and President Putin called each 
other by their first names and concluded their joint press 
conference with a handshake. However, with Russia remaining 
steadfastly opposed to the idea of deploying MD platforms in Eastern 
Europe, the summit exposed the limits of U.S.-Russia relations, 
which at present rely heavily on personal ties between the two 
leaders.... From a Russian viewpoint, the fact that President Bush 
met with President-elect Medvedev and hence recognized the 
legitimacy of the power transition at the Kremlin was the foremost 
accomplishment of the summit...." 
 
¶3. "MD Deployment in Eastern Europe Proceeding in View of U.S. 
Initiative" The top-circulation, moderate Yomiuri's Washington 
correspondent reported from Sochi (4/7): "A gap remained between the 
U.S. and Russia over the former's plan to deploy MD platforms in 
Eastern Europe. However, Washington is set to go ahead with the plan 
while giving consideration to Moscow's concerns. The Bush 
administration is determined not to give up on its initiative to 
defend against ballistic missiles, which it considers a real 
security threat in the 21st century.... The U.S., while welcoming a 
recent agreement with Russia to explore the idea of establishing a 
joint MD system in the future, will not allow that to be used as an 
excuse to postpone the planned deployment." 
 
¶4. "NATO Unity Being Tested" The business-oriented Nikkei 
editorialized (4/6): "French President Sarkozy has committed an 
additional 700 troops to Afghanistan. The French decision is 
welcome, as it will help with the war on terrorism. However, 
problems still remain. NATO is divided between those who attach 
importance to military operations and those who value civilian 
assistance. The gap between the two camps may widen in the event of 
a stalemate in operations to eradicate terrorists in Afghanistan. 
NATO unity is being tested." 
 
¶5. "NATO Remains Cohesive Entity" The Yomiuri's European bureau 
chief commented (4/6): "Along with its decision to endorse the 
future membership of Ukraine and Georgia, NATO during its summit in 
Bucharest also approved membership for Croatia and Albania, while 
French President Sarkozy said that France will return to NATO's 
joint military command. With all these developments taken together, 
the summit appears to have proven that NATO is still a cohesive 
entity ready to expand further.... NATO is currently facing the 
critical challenge of improving security in Afghanistan. However, 
one cannot argue that the organization's raison d'tre rests on 
success in nation-building in Afghanistan. From a long-term 
standpoint, NATO members are likely to pass the hard lessons of the 
Afghan operations on to the organization's next generation." 
 
¶6. "Do Not Be Duped by Pyongyang's Provocations" The 
economic-oriented Nikkei insisted in an editorial (4/7): "North 
Korea customarily ups the ante and looks to attract international 
attention as a way of seeking economic aid and other benefits. South 
Korea is the top target of Pyongyang's brinkmanship at present. The 
Lee administration must not allow itself to be duped by North Korean 
provocations. Seoul should react in a cool-headed manner in 
 
TOKYO 00000939  002 OF 002 
 
 
coordination with the U.S. and Japan, while keeping a close eye on 
U.S.-DPRK nuclear negotiations." 
 
SCHIEFFER